Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley, appeared on the BBC’s Sunday Politics where he was quizzed by Neil on his BNP past, his violence convictions, and Nazi salutes at EDL rallies.

Stephen Yaxley being interviewed by Andrew Neil

The result was a bombardment of abuse directed at Neil on Twitter, with many accusing him of having given Robinson a rough ride, compared to his follow-up interview with Muslim Council of Britain general secretary Farooq Murad.

Neil called Robinson “a violent man making violent threats” and demanded he explain a speech from a rally in 2011 in London where he said: “Every single Muslim watching this… You had better understand that we have built a network from one end of this country to the other end, and we will not tolerate it, and the Islamic community will feel the full force of the English Defence League if we see any of our citizens killed, maimed or hurt on British soil ever again.”

When challenged on that speech, Robinson insisted that ‘the full force’ meant democratic process.

“It is not a threat, it is a promise. We will keep tackling these issues. We are a pressure movement to put pressure on the government and the Islamic community.”

“You didn’t say you’d raise it with your MP, you said they would feel the ‘full force of the English Defence League,” Neil said incredulously. “And you said ‘the Islamic community’.”

But Robinson replied: “I don’t think the Islamic community has done enough to address these issues. You are twisting the words.

“We said they would feel it “through the democratic process. All I said is that they would feel the force.”

Many on Twitter argued that Neil takes a similarly tough line with all guests, from across the political spectrum. The BBC presenter also tweeted that he had done a similarly harsh interview with Anjem Choudary, an extreme Islamist activist who led banned organisation Islam 4 UK.

Neil claims that CNN decided not to air that interview, but insisted the interview had been equally heated.

Neil retweeted many of the most vile threats he received, and some of the more ridiculous.